Discovery Centre

The Discovery Centre should be visually attractive and welcoming in order to stimulate curiosity and encourage challenge.

Clear areas should be available for different activities where children can work individually or collaboratively in pairs or in a group.

The Discovery Centre should be viewed as a starting place for taking on learning through discovery and enquiry in other areas of the school for instance in the allotment, outdoor class room, multi media room, using a variety of resources including computing and ICT equipment.

Working in the discovery centre should broaden the children’s knowledge and experiences and lead to their own questioning and research. Time should be available for reflection and recording in their Discovery Log Books.

Our Learning Values will be in evidence as children work independently, collaboratively, use their emotional intelligence to behave appropriately, work creatively and opportunities for spirituality are created.

A hands on approach is vital with children and adults working and researching together. The children will be taught a range of techniques for recording but greater emphasis will be placed on the process of ‘finding out’ and ‘thinking’.

The children may not necessarily discover something but should be encouraged to build up resilience and gain mastery and application so they can continue to research and seek solutions, asking more questions along the way.

Year 2 children will be trained and encouraged to become Discovery Centre Monitors who will help oversee children using the area without an adult and offer help and support where needed. They will encourage tidiness.

There will be two main projects a year but the activities will change half termly. There will therefore be a three yearly rota.